Italian Cup: Bologna, first Serie A club to the mat

Serie A has already lost a representative in the Italian Cup, with the elimination on Monday in the 32nd of 16, Bologna, after an unbridled match (4-5) lost at home to Ternana, a Serie team B. One week before the resumption of the Italian Championship, twelve elite clubs have been competing since Friday in this qualifying round for the round of 16 scheduled for December. The first eight of the last Serie A championship, including Cup title holders Juventus Turin, will only enter the competition for the eighth in January.

All opposed to lower echelon teams, the elite clubs have for the most part ensured their qualification without trembling. But after Torino and Venice (promoted to Serie A), pushed on Sunday on penalties respectively by Cremonese (0-0 a, 4-1 tab) and Frosinone (1-1 a, 8-7 tab), Bologna bit dust at home. Led 1-3 at the break, then 1-5 at the start of the second half, Sinisa Mihajlovic’s players finished better but failed to catch up (4-5). Austrian international Marko Arnautovic took the opportunity to score his first official goal with Bologna.

These 32nd finals ended in the evening with two more elite clubs on the menu: Salernitana, against Reggina (Serie B) and Sampdoria, against Alessandria (Serie B).